Journey Into Mystery 5
by D
Summary: Lady Thor VS Thrud for the Honor of Thor!


Lady Thor

A Marvelous Tale Told in the Mighty Marvel Manner!

November 7, 1962

For the Honor of My Father!

"Release me!" cried the woman known as Thrud as she pounded on the blank concrete walls that surrounded her. She had woken up in this barbaric cell. She had no idea just how long she had been unconscious. Her armor and weapons were missing, leaving her clad only in a linen uniform, indicating her status as a prisoner. The walls showed signs of her assault, but as of yet they had not crumbled.

Shaking her fiery red hair out of her eyes, she marched over to the battered metal cot that had been bolted to the wall and slumped down on it.

While she was resting, unseen eyes and ears took the momentary lull in her actions to further their study.

"Impressive specimen. Hard to believe she was just walking around midtown." One of the nameless officials commented as he watched the video feed. Picking up a nearby phone, he quickly dialed the proper extension. As the other party answered, the man's eyes never left the monitors. "Has the analysis come back for her weapons? No? Then about her story?"

As attempts were made to verify Thrud's tale, the man's attention was drawn away from his prisoner for a moment as, in a brief bout of carelessness, the man knocked several files onto the floor. Putting the phone down for a second, he bent over to retrieve them.

Unseen by him, Thrud, almost as if knowing her captors were no longer paying attention, bolted from her cot. With her mighty hands she grasped the cot and with one tug tore the metal fixture from the wall.

A grim smile was on her face as she readied the cot like a battering ram. Charging towards the door, or at least the wall that looked out synch with the other three, Thrud smashed through it.

Finding herself in a narrow hallway, she discarded the battered piece of furniture. Men's voices came down a hallway, prompting her to grab hold of the cot and tear off a chunk. Gripping it like a club, she readied herself for battle as she saw the approaching guards. "Come, and face the wraith of a warrior born!" she grimly laughed.

Elsewhere

At the clinic of Dr. Donald Blake, Jane Foster sighed as she gazed around the empty office. The fact that there was nobody sick was a relief and an annoyance. She was relieved because the solitude had allowed her time to finish her work, but she was also annoyed because the quiet had allowed her to think, mostly about her alter ego.

And that was something she just wasn't quite up to at this point. Seeing the aged wood staff propped up by her desk did little to help. She knew with a single tap she could easily transform into the most powerful person on planet, but lately it seemed that not even Lady Thor's powers could help her.

Dr. Blake had been acting strange ever since Lady Thor made her official debut. She knew he cared about her, Jane Foster that is, because he said so. Yet after they got back to the States, he had become more withdrawn.

"Why can't I just tell him?" she almost found herself saying out loud, but she knew the answer as soon as the words left her mouth. Her exploits as Lady Thor had been bringing the weirdoes out in force. If any of them knew that Lady Thor had a nine to five job, then everyone she cared about would be at risk.

Leaning back in her chair and popping her back, Jane sighed in irritation as she stared at the stack of paperwork that had been slowly building. Every time she rushed out to save an innocent life, it seemed as if she were rewarded with at least 20 papers of insurance and medical records that needed to be filed.

Deciding that the pile wasn't going to move in her absence, Jane got up and walked back to the storage closet/break room. Leaving the door open in case a patient walked in, Jane flopped down in the overstuffed easy chair and stretched out.

"Ah, now this is more like it" she sighed in contentment. As her fingers dropped to the floor, they brushed against a paper. "What's this?"

On the floor was a copy of _The Daily Bugle_ that she had picked up but had forgotten to read. On the cover was an artist's rather lurid rendering of a woman in a risqué chain mail getup and a little tiny cape flowing behind her. Above the picture was the headline "Lady Thor sighted! Terrorizes Downtown!"

The relaxation was quickly forgotten as Jane grabbed the paper and turned to the proper page. The article was fairly ridiculous (she expected as much from the _Bugle_), as it seemed more interested in attacking her mode of dress and the religious implications of her name than actually telling a story.

The bits that were actually newsworthy had her intrigued. A woman (dressed much more sensibly than what the picture would imply) appeared from out of nowhere and ran amuck before being hit a passing truck. There was nothing to say what had happened to the mysterious woman afterwards, but Jane knew there must have been something more. She hadn't heard anything on the radio, or anywhere else, but she knew there was more to the story. Hearing the door open, she placed the paper back down and went back out to help the patients. Whoever that mysterious woman was, she would have to worry about her later.

Meanwhile, the woman in question was doing her best to make sense of the situation she found herself in. Thrud, after a short battle with the strangely clad though easily breakable men, found herself outside in the strange city once again; however, this time she would not be taken unaware so easily. It had been a small matter to locate her weapons and armor. The surrounding alley had served her well enough as a place to change from the flimsy prisoner uniform (for what else could that have been?) into her proper armor. The gleaming white fortress that had held her captive would be more leery of proper warriors from now on, she thought as the sounds of sirens and warning klaxons served to remind her that she was an escaped prisoner.

Marching out into the daylight, she saw more of the strange metal chariots, these particular ones gleaming white in the bright sun with red crosses adorned on the sides. Ignoring the stares and commotion she was causing, Thrud marched away from the fortress. Her mission was not forgotten, and no amount of delay would slow her down or keep her from fulfilling it.

She was going to find that imposter, and when she did, then she intended to see just how a pretender to the title 'thunder god' stacked up to the true daughter of Thor.

Unaware of what was transpiring, Jane Foster continued to work as various patients filtered into the office for various reasons. She settled herself into a groove as she listened to the patient's complaints, buzzed Dr. Blake, and basically threw herself into the task at hand. She was so focused in fact that she did not even realize Dr. Blake was behind her until he tapped her on her shoulder.

"Nurse Foster" he started to say. The sound of his voice almost made her jump out of her chair.

"Oh, Dr. Blake! You startled me. What's the matter?" she asked as she noticed the bags under the doctor's eyes and the pale quality of his skin.

"You've been doing a great job keeping up with all the work, and since we seem to be slowing down" he gestured to the now empty waiting room, "why don't we just close up shop for the day?"

"I, I don't know what to say doctor!" Jane was shocked, both at what Dr. Blake purposed but also at his appearance. He clutched his cane tightly in one hand, and Jane could see the beads of sweat that were rolling down his neck. "Dr. Blake, are you alright?"

"I'm fine" he smiled as he wiped his brow. "Just a little tired." Changing the subject, he gestured towards the door. "If you don't have any plans tonight, would you care to grab a quick bite with me? I know a pretty decent restaurant right near Gramercy Park."

Jane's heart skipped a beat. "Dr. Blake, I would love to!" she answered as she hooked her arm in his and followed him out the door. Right before her foot crossed the threshold however, she stopped. Glancing back, she saw her cane leaning carefully by her desk. "Better safe than sorry" she thought as she slipped her arm out of Dr. Blake's and went back to her desk. Snagging the wizened piece of wood, she saw Don's puzzled face. "Um, I wouldn't want to forget this. Good luck charm, you know." She said, trying to answer the inevitable questions her actions would arouse.

Dr. Blake shrugged and gestured to his own cane. "I understand. Shall we?" He once again gestured towards with the open door.

"Of course" Jane smiled back as she flipped the lights off and locked the door behind her.

While at the same time

Thrud was taking a different approach to moving about this strange land she found herself in. The few mortals she questioned gave her no real answers, and she had no desire to face whatever those metal beasts that roared again.

Using a nearby series of ladders that the mortals had built into the side of one structure, Thrud made her way to the rooftops. "Better" she murmured as she scanned the city. A commotion below snapped her attention back to the street.

Down below, an elderly man was in the process of being attacked by a mugger. Thrud saw the drama unfolding. An idea came to her as she saw the youth reach into his pocket and pull out a blade.

"Perhaps a call to the imposter's sense of honor might aid me." Thrud thought as the youth took a few swipes at the old man. Thrud had seen enough. Drawing her blade, she used the fire escape (although she did not know the proper name for it) as her means of transport. Thrusting her blade into the top platform, she quickly looped her belt around the hilt. Stepping back over the railing she repelled her way down once again the street as her belt stretched.

With a single jerk, she wretched free the sword. Her belt quickly shrunk back to its original dimensions as the blade fell freely into her open palm. Marching over to the mugging in progress, she clamped one massive hand down on the boy's shoulder. One strong squeeze was all it took to make the young man cry out in pain and drop his switchblade.

Looking down at the older man, Thrud spoke. "Inform Lady Thor that as Chooser of the Slain, I have selected this miscreant. Unless she arrives here on yon plateau" she pointed with her sword to the rooftop, "then I shall be forced to take this mortal to wherever High Father Odin wills it." Slinging the hooligan over her shoulder, Thrud went back up to the rooftop via the fire escape.

A few blocks over

Jane smiled as Don pulled back her chair for her. The restaurant was far too classy to be a usual hangout for him. Was he trying to impress her? She carefully placed her cane under the table next to her leg as she sat down.

As the waiter took their orders, the restaurant's front windows shook as a score of police cars came racing down the street. Concerned, Jane gripped her cane as more emergency vehicles came roaring past. How could she leave without trying to explain her absence to Don? "Jane, what's wrong?"

Don's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Sorry, I was just wondering what the commotion was. I mean, do you think they would need a doctor on site?"

Don, clearly flustered, wasn't quite sure what to say. "I suppose, Jane, but they usually have ambulances in case of any medical emergencies."

Jane cursed mentally, mainly due the ambulance that followed. She knew she could just say nothing and enjoy the rest of the evening, but the piece of wood at her side reminded her of her responsibility. "I've got to think of something. Innocent lives could be danger!" Gripping the walking stick, she got up from the table and made her way towards the door.

"Jane, wait, where are you going?" Don almost shouted as he tried to hobble after her.

"I'm sorry Don, but I, uh, might be needed at that accident!" she quickly spoke as she exited out through the front door and dashed down the street.

As Don saw her racing past the people, Don slowly said to himself as her felt his heart painfully beat inside his chest. "But…but all the crews were going the other way" he said as he was left standing alone. Despite being a crowded restaurant, Donald Blake felt like he was the only human being on the planet as he slowly limped back to the table.

"Stupid!" Jane cursed herself as she ducked down into a deserted alley. "God, I have to find a way to make it up to Don. He must have been planning this evening for weeks" she sighed as she looked around to make sure there would be no witness.

Striking her cane once upon the ground, any would-be spectators would have witnessed a startling transformation. In a flash of light and a crack of thunder, Jane's brown hair lengthened and became blond. Her nurse's uniform simply faded away as a different set of clothes materialized on her swelling frame. Armor, leggings, and a long flowing red cape replaced the simple white cloth.

Jane Foster was no more. In her place now stood Lady Thor, goddess of thunder.

Turning towards the direction she saw the various vehicles racing towards, Lady Thor swung her hammer in a circle before letting it fly. Hanging onto the leather strap, she was able to fly over the buildings and high into the night sky.

Looking down, she spied the trouble below. A cowering figure and a strangely garbed being were onto top of an apartment a few blocks over from the restaurant. Lowering her hammer, and thus causing herself to descend, Lady Thor approached the scene carefully.

"What is thy dealings here?" she shouted as she landed on a nearby roof. Seeing the two people closer, Lady Thor focused her question towards the woman. The man, dressed in shabby regular clothes, simply whimpered and curled up into the fetal position. The woman, on the other, was dressed in a similar manner to Lady Thor herself.

"You are the one who is called 'Lady Thor'?" the stranger demanded as Lady Thor noticed the wicked looking blade that the woman gripped in one hand.

"Aye, and I ask again, what is your purpose here?"

"To slay you!" the woman shouted as she leapt from the rooftop to Lady Thor's side in a single bound. The stranger hit the roof and glowered at her. "I am Thrud, daughter of Thor and a Chooser of the Slain, and tonight I shall have your blood!" she cursed as she swung her sword down in an arch.

Lady Thor barely had enough time to bring Mjolnir up in time to block the blow. "Thy name is familiar, but do you attack? I have done ye no harm."

"Thy mere presence is cause enough witch!" Thrud cursed as she drew back her sword and careful eyed her opponent. "Tell me, before I send you to sleep in Hela's embrace, how did thou slay my father?"

The question shocked Lady Thor so much she forgot about Thrud's attack and walked up to the woman. "What madness is this? I have never met Thor, much less slain him. I simply call myself Lady Thor as a sign of respect."

"Liar!" Thrud screamed as she thrust her sword forward. Lady Thor deftly leaped to the side and avoided the blow. Gripping her hammer tightly, Lady Thor slammed the mystic weapon down across Thrud's temple.

The blow was enough, if Thrud were mortal, to render her unconscious. Thrud, however, was not mortal. Thrud glanced at her with at first a look of shock, then something akin to pity. "If that pathetic blow was the best thy could manage, then a fight would serve no point. Simply hand over Mjolnir and I'll forgive this insult."

"I have no desire to battle you, but if thee insist I'll spare no quarter!" Lady Thor promised as she held Mjolnir before her.

Thrud gave a grim smile as she stared to circle her prey. "Good! Hopefully you can muster more strength than thy last blow, else this conflict shall be over before I can separate thy head from yon neck."

"Have at thee!" Lady Thor shouted as she hurtled her hammer. Thrud simply stepped to the side as the mystic Mjolnir hurled past her punched through stairwell entrance and continued on its way into the night.

"First blood will be mine!" Thrud shouted in victory as her sword swung through the air. Lady Thor jumped back as the blade cleaved off a lock of her long blond hair. Unbeknownst to Thrud though, Mjolnir had suddenly turned in its flight and started to fly back directly towards Lady Thor eager hands. Thrud smiled as she pressed her attack. "You think me so foolish as to not know my own father's weapons? Mjolnir always returns to its master's hands." She said sarcastically as she nimbly, despite her size, leapt up just as the hammer passed over the spot where she had been. "Bah, you scarcely know of the power you've stolen."

"Wrong wench, I know enough" Lady Thor said hotly as she stamped the hammer upon the ground twice in rapid succession. Dark storm clouds began to build above the tenant. "If thy wish to fight to the death, then so be it." She cursed as lighting sailed from the sky and stuck the rooftop. A TV antenna exploded as the electrical current surged through it.

"What's wrong with me?" Jane thought to herself as Thrud ignored the raging storm and pressed her attack. "Innocent people live here! We're putting everyone here in danger."

"Wait!" Lady Thor cried out as she raised her hammer to block Thrud's sword slash. Keeping the hammer pressed to the blade, she looked Thrud directly in the eye. Their respective strength soon had them in a stalemate as neither one could press for an advantage. "We are putting these mortals in harm's way."

"What of it? They are of no concern to me."

"Aye, but they are to me. If you insist on this mad battle, then why don't we move somewhere were no one can interfere. Agreed?"

Thrud considered before withdrawing her blade, nearly causing Lady Thor to pitch forward onto the rain soaked roof. "Agreed. Wither then shall we battle?"

"Follow me." Lady Thor spoke as she quickly ended the storm and opened up a rift in space with a series of taps form her hammer. Leaping into the void first, and quickly, so as to avoid any attacks, Lady Thor vanished into the vortex before being joined by Thrud.

Left alone on the now thoroughly soaked rooftop, was one man who swore that he never again mug anyone, or do anything so crooked as litter. He sobbed with joy when the police finally came up.

Meanwhile, the two combatants reappeared in a strange landscape. A large shimmering lake lay below them as they exited out of the vortex that opened upon a small hill that overlooked the area. The area around them was filled with large rocks and ever-shifting sand. A blazing sun hung high overhead as the two ladies surveyed the grounds.

"A good enough place if any to die." Thrud said flatly as she kicked a large rock. It tumbled down through the sand and made a small splash in the water. Tightening her grip on her sword, she took a defensive stance.

"Aye, but we can still stop this before it comes to that." Lady Thor tried one last time for a peaceful resolution.

The red-haired warrior's only response to her statement was to charge. Swinging her sword in a wide arch, she dropped the blade short when Lady Thor braced herself and held up her hammer to block. Thrud deftly avoided the hammer. Pulling back, she countered the block by thrusting forward with her sword. The blade almost sang as it whistled through the air and sunk into Lady Thor's shoulder.

"Now you die!" Thrud shouted as she continued to push forward. Lady Thor, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say Jane Foster at this time, was numb with horror as she both saw and felt the blade pierce her armor and flesh. Shock quickly set in as Thrud pressed her attack and drove the fiendishly sharp weapon deeper.

Unable to feel her right arm, Jane was now, for the first time since she discovered the powers of Thor, feeling twin sensations that were altogether new to her new body: Fear and pain

Unwilling to admit defeat, Lady Thor grimaced in pain and tried to swing her fist at her attacker's head in an attempt to fend off the woman. Thrud swatted her much in the same way a teacher would do to a disorderly student.

Casually placing her foot upon Lady Thor's midsection, Thrud yanked her sword out of her and sent her sprawling backwards down the embankment. "Pray to whatever god ye pushed my kin aside for pretender, for thy are about to meet thy end!"

"She's right." Lady Thor cursed to herself as she came to a stop just at the edge of the lake. Seeing the blood flowing out of her arm did little to improve her moral as she switched hands to hold her hammer. "Alright, I have one shot at this. Whoever or whatever is up there, please give me strength." She silently prayed as she forced herself up to her knees as Thrud came over the hill.

Thrud arrogantly strode over the dirt and sand as she held her sword high. A bloodthirsty grin stretched across her face as she prepared to swing. "You've proven thy are no warrior. Relinquish Mjolnir to me, and I shall only take thy head. Refuse, and the Blood Eagle shall stain this wretched stretch of waste."

"Lady, you talk too damn much." Came the reply as Lady Thor threw Mjolnir with all her might. The hammer flew through the air. Thrud, perhaps not expecting such a direct attack, was too late to avoid the hammer as it crashed into her stomach and sent her flying back over the hill. It was an agonizing amount time before she heard an impact. Her hammer, however, flew back and returned to her hand before the time limit expired and she transformed back to Jane Foster.

Forcing herself to her feet, she hooked her hammer to her belt and tore off her cape. Ripping it into shreds with her good hand, she fashioned a crude bandage/sling for her wound. Tightening it, she made her way up the hill to see how Thrud was doing.

When she got to the top, she saw a grim sight. Down at the bottom of the hill lay Thrud. Her blow from the hammer had carried her up and over the mound and had sent her crashing into what was formerly a large boulder half-submerged in the sand. Her impact had shattered it into countless pieces. Thrud herself lay sprawled in the dirt with a rocky halo surrounding her head. Her sword lay buried in the dirt.

Limping over, Lady Thor checked her enemy's vital signs at a distance. Thrud's breathing was shallow. Unhooking her hammer, she carefully made her way over, making sure to stay out of Thrud's reach in case she was faking.

"Hell" she cursed as she leaned over and checked. Thrud's injuries were real all right, as well as serious. Removing her shattered breastplate was easy enough, despite her one hand. A quick examination was enough to confirm the worst. Her hammer had shattered most of Thrud's ribs.

Not wanting to move her and aggravate her injuries, or her own for that matter, Lady Thor sat down in the dirt and put her head in her hand. "Why? Why couldn't you just walk away?" she cursed as she suddenly felt a wave of sadness wash over her. She hardly knew the woman, yet seeing her in such a state filled her sorrow for some reason. "Damn it, I was never your enemy!" she shouted. Her sorrow was quickly replaced with anger.

"I can see that now." Thrud coughed weakly. "Lift me up, and I shall talk."

"Tempting, but with those ribs in the shape they are in I'd just cause more internal injuries than anything else."

"Very well, but I must tell my story. I am a Valkyrie. It is my duty to go forth among the battlefields and select the recently slain to accompany me into Valhalla. I served All-Father Odin well, but my damned heart was like my father. I hungered for more than my duty. One moonlit night I chance encountered a dwarf named Alvis. I cannot explain it, even now, but he stirred many passions within my breast. I wanted to fly away with him, but he wished to have my father's blessing. My father insisted that Alvis create for him weapons and jewelry, but that was not good enough. No, he insisted that Alvis prove himself worthy as a hire as well, so there were tests that lasted all through the night." Thrud's voice became bitterer as she recounted the story.

"I don't understand, what was the significance of night?" Lady Thor asked as she placed the remains of her cape that she hadn't used as a bandage under Thrud's head.

Thrud managed to give a weak smile at the question. "You truly are not my father. Night is the only time in which a dwarf may move freely about the land. If a dwarf is exposed to daylight, then they are turned to stone forever."

"Ah."

"Aye, and thus Alvis was transformed into a statue. I mourned and my father kept all the weapons that had been forged. When he vanished ages ago, I rejoiced. Afterwards, after mankind had cast us aside for a new god, I planned to track him down and make him play for his crime. I lost hope of finding him, before my uncle Loki told me that a mere mortal had taken up the title. I assumed-"

"Wait, Loki?" Lady Thor asked. "He was the one who told you were to find me?"

"Aye, he was. He told me my father had ceased to be, that somehow his weapons had been stolen by a human."

Lady Thor sighed. "That may be the truth, at least to a certain extent. I found what I believed to be an old walking stick deep within a cave. When I struck it against stone, I found myself transformed into the form you see before you. I do not know, nor have I ever known, the whereabouts of Thor. He may have died, but I can assure you it was not by my hand."

Thrud closed her eyes and smiled. "Aye, I believe you. You are far too softhearted to be Thor reborn, and I doubt Odin would have given his son such a shapely body. Nay, I believe you now."

Not quite sure how to respond to such a comment, Lady Thor kept her silence as Thrud started to rise. The sight of Thrud casually standing up and tossing the tattered cape aside dumbfounded her. "How? I mean a normal person would have died from injuries like that!"

Thrud smirked as she retrieved her sword. "Aye, a mere mortal would not have lived through such an attack. I, however, am neither mere nor mortal. Since ye possess my father's power, thy own wounds should close with no trouble."

Checking her dressing, Lady Thor marveled that Thrud's words were true. The deep wound had already healed, leaving no scar. "Amazing."

"Aye, but take care mortal. If ye insist on brandishing the power of Thor, know that far worse things than myself shall come to challenge you. You must be ready, and above all else, you must know the proper use of thy own weapons." She gestured towards to Mjolnir, still in Lady Thor's grip. "My father had quite a reputation as a warrior. I suspect you have battled much since you have taken up the mantle, but none have truly given you a challenge, have they?"

"None, save for Loki, and even then he wasn't that much of a challenge."

Thrud grew grave at the words. "Never underestimate him. He may lack thy strength, but his mind is ever cunning."

"I'll remember that." She agreed as she started to spin her hammer. "Come, I'll take us back to New York."

"Thank ye, but I fear thy land is not the home I seek. Open up the way, and I'll find my own way back to Asgard."

Lady Thor was silent as she spun Mjolnir. Her arm was stiff, but aside from that there was no pain. As the vortex opened up, she felt Thrud place her hands on her shoulders. "Hang on to me!" she shouted as she leapt forward.

Inside the swirling opening, she felt Thrud let go. Twisting around, she saw the warrior woman disappearing as she drifted away into the void. "Till we meet again." Thrud yelled as she swallowed up by the darkness.

When Thrud next looked around her, the familiar sights of Asgard and all of its eternal glory surrounded her. "So, my uncle was not honest in his dealings." She thought as she checked her weapons. "And I played directly into his plans."

Walking along a dirt path, Thrud carefully eyed everything around her, as if Loki or a troll might leap out from behind every tree. "I must on my guard, but do I tell Odin? Loki might have been turning the entire court against me in my absence, and my rushing off toward Midgard will have repercussions as well. Verily, I was caught in Loki's snare like an ignorant animal!"

"But I dare not say anything yet. That mortal woman seems much more worthy than my father to bare those gifts of Odin, so the realm of man shall have a worthy protector at least. Odin may strip me of my rank if he learns of my battle, and I know Loki will have this arranged to his advantage. I must be wary. My uncle's eyes are everywhere. I must hurry home and protect my mother. No doubt that vile trickster has already attempted some foul magic upon my home."

Coming upon the familiar sight of her father's long hall, she sighed with relief as she entered the massive doorway. "There shall be much bloodshed before this affair is over. I'll see that trickster's entrails are fed to the wolves!" she silently swore as she started to draw up plans of battle in her mind.

Meanwhile, back on Earth:

Lady Thor had little time to absorb what she just saw as the vortex opened up in the same alley she transformed in. Landing upon her feet, she struck her hammer once upon the ground. In a flash, the muscled yet ragged form of Lady Thor vanished and in her place was the more composed form of Jane Foster.

Checking her watch, she cursed at how much time had passed. "Don's probably already left the restaurant by now." Stepping out of the alleyway, she hung her head low at the now deserted street.

"Almost midnight. No point in trying to call Don now." She thought as she hailed a cab. After wearily telling the driver her address, she slumped back into the seat. 'Sometimes this stick is more trouble than it worth. All this fighting, but am I any closer to winning Don's heart? I know he cares for me, but how do I tell him without revealing my identity?" The cabbie couldn't give her any answers. Looking down at the aged piece of wood that was brushing against her leg, she contemplated tossing the whole thing out the window. "Was Thrud right? Maybe I wasn't meant to find this. What about Thor? Is he still alive?"

These thoughts stayed in her mind long after the cab ride came to an end. Stumbling into her apartment, she didn't even bother to disrobe as she collapsed on the couch. The events of the day would have a reckoning, but not at the moment.

The end

Journey Into a Mailbox

And then it got weird. Now, for those loyal fans out there, there might some confusion. All the previous issues all followed the original run of Journey Into Mystery. But instead of rehashing "Prisoner of the Reds", which frankly seemed like a repeat of the second Thor story ("The Mighty Thor VS the Executioner" for those who are wondering), I decided to move the series in a new direction. Thrud is a real character from Norse mythology, and yes, she is the daughter of Thor and Sif.

So yeah, things are not going to be the exact same as they were in the Marvel stories. Except the unexpected True Believers and now here's some fan mail:

From ace lady of the Dungeon, Tiffani,

_This was a cool issue. You did a very good job, as always, with the__  
dialogue and such. There's only one problem. I find myself repeating  
the same things over and over. Of course, they're all true but I do  
feel a bit odd about it. I hope you know that I do mean what I  
write. I like your dialogue and descriptive phrases.  
Anyway, great job and thanks for sharing. :)_

Take care,  
Tiffani

No problem. Glad you enjoyed the trip down memory lane. I'm running out of time, but I would like to give special thanks to M.K. for the kind words, and as always, the Ditko to my Lee, Articzen, who was brave enough to edit.

Next issue, we go back to the old Journey Into Mystery standard with "The Vengeance of Loki". Things are going to be said folks. Be there.

Upcoming works:

Tales to Astonish #3 Ant-Man VS the Protector!

Amazing Adventures #1 I am the Fantastic…Reborn! The return of the FIRST Marvel hero! Don't miss it!

Sensational Comics #5 Here Comes The Hulk! More Powerful! More Dangerous! More Uncontrollable than EVER BEFORE!


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